Biological pharmaceuticals that utilize a biopolymer such as a protein or a nucleic acid are easily degraded by enzymes or eliminated by the immune system as compared to conventional pharmaceuticals that utilize low-molecular-weight compounds. From the viewpoint of improving delivery of such biotechnology-based drugs to an affected area, the present inventors have developed a drug delivery system (DDS) that uses a polyamino acid-based block copolymer. An aim of the development is to provide a carrier that simultaneously achieves stability in blood (retention properties of the biotechnology-based drugs) and drug-releasing properties at an affected area.
In addition, for a different purpose than DDS development, the present inventors have also advanced fundamental research of biocompatible materials applicable to saccharide sensors and saccharide-responsive actuators. For example, phenylboronic acid-based compounds having a fluorinated phenyl ring have been developed as biocompatible materials (Patent Literature 1).
It should be noted that Patent Literature 2 is prior art concerning a reagent that is obtained by binding a nucleic acid to a polyamino acid-based derivative that uses a phenylboronic acid group and is applied to analyses of behaviors and structures of nucleic acids and nucleic acid-related substances.